Senators Reverend Warnock, Blunt Rochester, and Merkley introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act to help reunite communities divided by transportation infrastructure
This legislation would expand on theReconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP) to allocate $15 billion over five years for projects that serve to create economic opportunity by reconnecting communities and creating new space for housing, jobs, and economic development
Construction of the Downtown Connecter in Atlanta and the I-16 Flyover in Savannah displaced historically Black communities and business districts, leaving friends and neighbors on opposite ends of the tracks
Senator Reverend Warnock: “Ensuring Georgians aren’t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure”
Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Restoring Essential Public Access and Improving Resilient (REPAIR) Infrastructure Program Act. The bill would reauthorize and expand the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Reconnecting Communities Program as the REPAIR Infrastructure Program.
“Physical mobility and economic mobility are inextricably linked,” said Senator Reverend Warnock. “Ensuring Georgians aren’t cut off from accessing jobs and economic opportunity also helps restore the cultural fabric of communities divided by legacy infrastructure. I’m proud to partner with my colleagues on this important legislation and look forward to better-connected communities across our state.”
The REPAIR Act will build on the groundwork laid by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to bridge communities separated by transportation and infrastructure barriers, and create new space for economic development. This would ensure more neighborhoods are vibrant and safe, contributing to healthier lives and creating more opportunities for American families. Senator Warnock has long supported reconnecting communities divided by legacy infrastructure projects, and the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law was based on legislation led by Senator Reverend Warnock.
“The City of Savannah is tremendously thankful for Senator Warnock’s leadership and guidance in securing funding for Savannah within the Reconnecting Communities program,” said Savannah Mayor Van Johnson. “This is a transformative investment in Savannah’s neighborhoods and future which will help repair long-standing physical and social barriers by reconnecting communities and infrastructure to jobs, services, and one another. By prioritizing equity, safety, smart planning, and community input, Savannah is taking an important step toward building a more connected, inclusive, resilient city for all residents.”
“We are supportive of federal investment in critical infrastructure projects like The Stitch, including the “REPAIR” Act introduced by Senator Warnock,” said Stitch Director Jack Cebe.“Building The Stitch promises to generate billions of dollars in economic value, create thousands of jobs, and stimulate follow-on private sector investment including the construction of new housing for thousands of families in Georgia.”
Between fiscal years 2022 and 2024, there was an average of $4.6 billion in unmet funding requests for the Reconnecting Communities Program. During the same period, there were nearly 1,500 applications from communities in all 50 states for projects eligible under the REPAIR Infrastructure Act, demonstrating a desire for this funding across the nation.
The interstate highway system sought to connect the country, but it also divided America’s historically Black and white communities on racial lines, especially in Georgia. In Atlanta, the 14-lane highway that now joins I-75 and I-85 was constructed through Black communities that were forced to relocate on opposite ends of this concrete barrier. In Savannah, the I-16 flyover was built over and through black-owned businesses and homes.
Ultimately, DOT has funded 257 projects in 47 states to reconnect communities divided by legacy infrastructure. Those projects have helped communities redesign streets, spur economic development, address outdated highways, improve multimodal access, and enhance transit options.
The REPAIR Infrastructure Act would:
- Reauthorize the REPAIR Infrastructure program out of the Highway Trust Fund at $3B per fiscal year from 2027 through 2031.
- Codify language to ensure REPAIR Infrastructure projects promote economic development, increase access to daily destinations, prioritize community involvement, and prevent displacement.
- Add explicit eligibility for REPAIR Infrastructure projects to existing highway formula programs.
The REPAIR Infrastructure Act is endorsed by Smart Growth America, the National League of Cities, the American Society of Landscape Architects, America Walks, the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), the Environmental Law & Policy Center, the League of American Bicyclists, the Living Streets Alliance, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Rails to Trails Conservancy, Safe Routes Partnership, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and a national coalition of 74 additional organizations.
Full text is available HERE.
###